50 high-paying jobs that don't require a college degree

While workers with associate's or bachelor's degrees do earn more on average, there are some relatively high-paying careers out there for people without a college degree.

Intro

Despite rising high school graduation rates, the number of students getting college degrees in the U.S. has dropped. Why the decrease in college enrollment?

One reason could be the ballooning costs of attending university. In the face of expensive tuition fees and potential debt, students may seek other opportunities outside of education. While workers with an associate's or bachelor's degree do earn more on average, there are some relatively high-paying careers out there for people without a college degree.

Career research site CareerTrends found the 50 highest-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. Using 2015 data from O*NET, an occupation database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, the team identified the required education level for workers in various occupations. We then used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the jobs with the highest salaries that don't typically require an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. Salaries in this list reflect national averages.

To identify the expected prior education for each job, O*NET regularly surveys each occupation's worker population and asks respondents to note the level of education they believe is required for the job. The prior education listed on each slide corresponds to the most common response from job survey respondents. If a job has multiple education listings it is because there were roughly equal amounts of respondents who gave that answer.

The average salary for jobs on this list is around $62,000. However, the top-paying job boasts a six-figure salary on average. Most of these occupations require high school education and range from sales and management positions to more creative jobs like makeup artists and painters.

*Note: Some of these jobs may require a specific trade degree, certificate or licensing program in addition to the education level listed on each slide.

#50. Mail carriers

Average Salary: $51,130Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Sort mail for delivery. Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.

#48. Choreographers

#47. Brickmasons

Average Salary: $51,750Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers and other structures.

#46. Explosives workers and earth drillers

Average Salary: $52,580Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove or displace earth, rock or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters. Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn and pneumatic to tap sub-surface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

#45. Millwrights

Average Salary: $52,650Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Install, dismantle or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints or other drawings.

#44. Costume attendants

Average Salary: $52,870Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Select, fit and take care of costumes for cast members and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.

#43. Tapers

Average Salary: $53,080Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.

#42. Food service managers

Average Salary: $53,640Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Plan, direct or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

#41. Railroad operators

Average Salary: $53,990Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Operate railroad track switches. Couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Signal engineers by hand or flagging. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes and hand brakes.

#40. Rebar workers

Average Salary: $54,030Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches and hand tools. Includes rod busters.

#36. Locomotive firers

Job Description: Monitor locomotive instruments and watch for dragging equipment, obstacles on rights-of-way and train signals during run. Watch for and relay traffic signals from yard workers to yard engineer in railroad yard.

#35. Crane and tower operators

Average Salary: $54,560Prior Education: Some College or Associate's Degree, High School Education

Job Description: Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines or products in many directions.

#34. Steel workers

Average Salary: $54,750Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Raise, place and unite iron or steel girders, columns and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.

#33. Steamfitters

Average Salary: $55,100Prior Education: Some College or Associate's Degree, High School Education

#22. Production supervisors

Average Salary: $59,930Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators and plant and system operators.

#21. Oil drill operators

Average Salary: $60,380Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.

#15. Non-destructive testing specialists

#14. Petroleum pump operators

Average Salary: $66,020Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.

#13. Makeup artists

Average Salary: $66,560Prior Education: Some College or Associate's Degree, High School Education

Job Description: Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting and situation of their role.

#12. Creative writers

Average Salary: $69,130Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.

#11. Licensing examiners

Average Salary: $69,180Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Examine, evaluate and investigate eligibility for, conformity with or liability under licenses or permits.

#10. Postmasters

Average Salary: $70,540Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Plan, direct or coordinate operational, administrative, management and supportive services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

#9. Power plant operators

#8. Customs brokers

Average Salary: $73,480Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

#7. Gaming managers

Average Salary: $77,770Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Plan, direct or coordinate gaming operations in a casino. May formulate house rules.

#6. Police records officers and customs inspectors

Average Salary: $79,620Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases, and investigate. Inspect persons, common carriers, goods and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the United States or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.

#5. Power distributors

Average Salary: $80,400Prior Education: Some College or Associate's Degree, High School Education

#4. Athletes

Average Salary: $80,490Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Compete in athletic events.

#3. Ship pilots

Average Salary: $83,150Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits or sounds, or on rivers, lakes or bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.

#2. Nuclear power reactor operators

Average Salary: $88,820Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause and recommend corrective action.

#1. Financial service sales agents

Average Salary: $102,860Prior Education: High School Education

Job Description: Sell financial services, such as loan, tax and securities counseling to customers of financial institutions and business establishments.

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